Double Blue Links Linking the Alumni of Wesley College Colombo across the World A collaboration between Dr Nihal Amerasekera & Keith de Kretser ISSUE:1 All Correspondence: [email protected] DATE: June 2015 Welcome to Double Blue Links CONTENT As we see from the websites, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, Wesley College Colombo and its Old Foreword 2 Boys have joined the digital revolution. Over many Alumni Associations 3 years we have scanned the world wide web, spoken to Calendar of Events (Alumni) 4 old boys and leaders of the many organisations of the Scholarship Fund details 5 Highfield Block refurbishment 6 school to collect information for the Double Blue From the archives 7 International and the ever popular Australian OBU The school in Dam St., Pettah Newsletter. We feel strongly there is now a need for Reminisces of Wesley in the 9 an International Newsletter. We both realize the Pettah – by Highfield Rev Daniel Henry Pereira by 9 enormity of the task. Those long days and nights Shelton Peiris spent on the creation of the DBI and OBUA Newsletter Progress of the school 1874 10 gave us a wonderful insight into the richness of life Shattered memories of the 13 and achievements of this great school. Time is Small Park – Dr. NDA Where are they now? - 15 precious. Content is not cost free. Writing is work. Venerable Rev. Perry Brohier There are no advertising revenues and no Alumni share their experiences 16 sponsorships. But it is a pleasure and a privilege to be Siri Pada – the Misty Island by the editors of this Newsletter and collate the news and Tony Careem Visit to Florence- the city of my 20 views about our school. dreams by Dr. NDA Excellence in teaching – A 22 A Newsletter is only as good as the support it receives transformative force from the old boys. Any news about the school and its by Roy Oorloff News from Sri Lanka 25 OBU’s and members will be most welcome. Please • Dr Ben Manickam keep us informed of the old boys’ achievements, • Mariella Vandort marriages and obituaries. • Lucky Gunasekera • The Old School Tie Sports Round-up 30 Facts are sacred but comment is free. We hope the In Memoriam 41 old boys will be able to express their views freely and • Ralph Maas fairly. The Double Blue Link is not an official • Ranjith Dassanayake newsletter of Wesley College Colombo or its Old Boys • Capt Anwar Dole Unions although we have common objectives. • Nimal Wijesinghe • Gladwin de Silva • Dennis Ebert Fraternally yours • Ernest Visvasam • Vincent Adhihetty Nihal & Keith Photo Gallery 50 Editors Website: http://www.wesleycollege.biz/index.html Double Blue Links June 2015 1 FOREWORD Showers of Blessings Congratulations to Dr. Nihal Amarasekera and Keith de Kretser for their efforts to design a newsletter called the Double Blue Link. The remit is to collect information about the school and its old boys and disseminate the news to our brotherhood round the globe. My best wishes for this glorious adventure. I wish this unique exploration all success. It is not time to rest. It is again time to take Wesley to the next level. Wesley is fortunate to have two great minds who are ardent and very loyal authors for the newsletter. Once again Dr. Nihal Amarasekara will work together with Keith de Kretser to intertwine the past, the present and the future to create a thought-provoking newsletters for the Old Boys, Parents, Present Boys and Well-wishers to optimise the journey to celebrate Wesley’s achievements. Thank you very much. All Wesleyites will appreciate your fortitude. I am sure the communication will bring news to all those who are concerned and fascinated about the future of Wesley College Colombo. Please take the time to contribute all the thoughts and memories you have to integrate data to make the mail valuable to those who will benefit in the future. I know that time is a constraint, but give your time and effort to make this a very popular and widespread venture for Wesley. I am sure you will do it and will enjoy the effort. In the year 2000 Dr. Nihal Amarasekera designed with a lot of determination to bring the Double Blue International website into reality. It was not easy. Not too much of support was given when it was started. There was no hope or expectations from it. Once it was designed and published it brought a lot of Wesley supporters together. The real value was identified and recognized by the present students, old boys from around the world, parents of the school and well-wishes from all quarters. Today it stands out to be one of the best websites in the domain. The value and significance will be more in years to come, with history written now before it is lost in the minds of the younger generation. This is not only for 141 years of history to be researched and reported. Communication is one of the foundational elements of good letter writing. It is essential for a positive user experience and for a successful letter that will truly benefit the school. It is now time to generate new ideas to take Wesley to a higher level. It is your turn to make this a reality. Take you pen and make your contribution with the passion and the love for Wesley. Let these communications be an enormous success story of the future. Let us say: Well Done Boys of Wesley! Good luck! Dr. Shanti McLelland Principal Wesley College 2009-2014 “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” William shakespeare Double Blue Links June 2015 2 Éy jxáÄxç VÉÄÄxzx VÉÄÉÅuÉ S Old Boys Union Colombo President: Jeremy Brohier Mobile: 0777393264 Email: [email protected] Secretary: Sri Shammugalingam Mobile: 0777765163 Email: [email protected] Treasurer: V. Kamaleshwaran Mobile: 0773356638 Email: [email protected] Website: www.wesleyobu.lk Old Wesleyites Sports Club Colombo President: Fowzil Nawaz Mobile: 0777900808 Email: [email protected] Secretary: Derrick Goonetilleke Mobile: 0773477944 Email: [email protected] Treasurer: Mahesh Wijenayake Mobile: 0777281071 Email: [email protected] Website: www.owsc.lk Old Boys Union Australia (Melbourne) President: Reg Bartholomeusz Tel: +613 9877 1689 Email: [email protected] Secretary: Brian Azoor Tel: +613 97991026 Email: [email protected] Treasurer: Nelson de Silva Tel: +613 97048971 Email: [email protected] Website: http://wesleyobua.org.au Old Boys Union New South Wales (Sydney) President: Chris Swan Mobile: +612 0415067110 Email: [email protected] Secretary: Noel Saravanamuthu Tel: +612 89015010 Email: [email protected] Treasurer: Nizar Sappideen Tel: +612 96298689 Email: [email protected] Old Boys Union U.K. At the time of publication, there is no website or any record of the current office bearers and contacts. Details will be gratefully received. Editors. Double Blue Links June 2015 3 VtÄxÇwtÜ Éy XäxÇàá ECDH COLOMBO JUNE OWSC AGM OWSC will take part in the Colombo Big Match JULY Old Boys Cricket Carnival NOV Double Blue Dance DEC Carol Service OBU/OWSC Christmas Party Notes • OBU Ongoing project Re-Issuing of membership cards and updating of membership. • The Colombo Big Match is organised by International Cricket Services (pvt) Ltd consisting of 8 schools OBA. • OWSC conducts monthly theme nights and quarterly club nights. The 90’s show. AUSTRALIA Melbourne 23 May Curry Nite 3 October Double Blue Ball, The Grand CJ Oorloff Golf Trophy ( Wesley v Trinity) 6 Dec Combined Colleges of Sri Lanka Carol Service 13 Dec Seniors Lunch Sydney 26 April Lunch with Rev. Ebenezer Joseph (Act. Principal) 26 Sept. 26th Double Blue Spring Ball at Epping Club, Epping 28 Nov. Annual Christmas Party Double Blue Links June 2015 4 Wesley College Scholarship Fund Wesley College is pleased to announce that a new Scholarship Account has been opened by the school, to allow Wesleyites and friends who may wish to contribute towards scholarships at Wesley, to do so. The account will be controlled by the school. The ability of the school to provide scholarships will, understandably, depend entirely on the money available in the account. Contributions can be made as: 1. Lump sums, the interest on which will be used to meet scholarship needs. 2. Periodic contributions, which will be used to meet scholarship needs. Donors of lump sums and/or long period of commitment will be entitled to have a particular scholarship or scholarships awarded in a name they specify. The school will provide a report each year to donors, showing lump sum contributions held and interest received on these funds, other contributions received during the year and the manner in which money available has been used during the year. Types of scholarships envisaged are: 1. Academic scholarships Grade 5 scholarships: to those who excel at national level or perform particularly well at school level; these may include full scholarships and partial scholarships. G C E (Ordinary Level): to those who perform particularly well at the exams; these may include full scholarships and partial scholarships. To those whose academic performance and behaviour have been consistently good and whose parents / guardians require financial support; the scholarships may be a full or partial scholarship and may be subject to being applicable for a prescribed period of time. 2. Sports scholarships: Candidates need to be endorsed by the Sports Council as excelling in sports or extra-curricular activity and who are in need of financial assistance. They may be full or partial scholarships and may be subject to being applicable for a prescribed period of time. The criteria above may be made more specific with the passage of time. COCOCOSTCO ST OF SCHOLARSHIP • Day Scholar – Academic Rs 35,000/ per year • Day Scholar – Sports Rs 45,000/ per year • Hostel Scholar - Academic – Rs 145,000/ per year • Hostel Scholar – Sports – Rs 155,000/ per year The continuation of scholarships will be contingent on continuing good performance and good behaviour of the student.